Manually-propelled vehicle



May 1 1927' T. J. RILEY MANUALLY PROPELLED VEHICLE Filed Nov. 5. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor 19% Ammqy May 17, 1927.

/ T. RILEY MANUALLY PROPELLED VEHICLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Filed Nov. 3. 1926 Patented May 17, 192?? THOMAS J. RILEY, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MANUALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLE.

Application filed November 3, 1926.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in vehicles of the manually propelled type and has for its primary objcctto provide such a device that may have disposed upon the frame thereof a body in simulation of the body of an automobile. and that. is so constructed as to permit of the operation of the vehicle by the occupant thereof for thus providil'ig a pleasure device for both children and grownups.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a vehicle of this cl'iaracter wherein the frame bars thereof are so constructed to provide means at the opposite ends thereof whereby the opposite ends of the front and rear axle of the vehicle may be directly connected thereto so that the vehicle will have the appearance of the urn derslung body type.

A still further and important object is to provide a manually propelled vehicle that may be operated ata moderate rate of speed by the occupant, and this without requiring unusual exertion on the part of the operator.

Other objects will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same comprising the novel. form. combination, and arrangement of parts herein-- after more fully described, shown in the ac companying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

' Figure 1 is a plan view of a manually propelled vehicle constructed in accordance with the present invention, the body which may be of any conventional. design is disclosed in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section thereof, the body being again disclosed in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken substantially upon the line of Figure 2 for more clearly disclosing the steering connection between the spindle arn'i connecting rod and the steering shaft, and

Figure l is an enlarged perspective of the rear end of one of the frame bars for more clearly disclosing the boxing formation of members 6.

Serial No. 146,027.

mined length, the central portions of which are in narrow spacedparallel relation interconnected at a plurality of points by cross The rear ends of these frame bars converge outwardly as at 7 7, and the extreme rear ends thereof. are so bent as to provide boxings 88 the side walls of which are formed with registering openings for receiving bushings 9, see Figure 4. Mounted within the boxings 88 of the outwardly converging ends 77 of said frame bars 5-5 is a rotating rear axle 'iltl provided with a pair ofstop collars 11-1l arranged within the boxings 8-8 to prevent. longitudinal movement of the axle as clearly disclosed, in Figure 1.

Mounted upon the extremeouter ends of said axle l0 are traction wheels 12 12.

At the forward ends of the spaced parallel portions of the frame bars, the same are bent outwardly at right angles as at 1313 after which the bars are bent in outwardly converging relation as at 1l-1l and thence straight forwardly as at 15 15. the same being provided at the extreme outer ends thereof with collars l616 within which are securedv theopposite ends of a square shaped stationary front axle 17, the extreme ends of which are constructed for permitting the pivotal attachment of generally conventional spindle knuckles upon the spin dles of which are a ranged the front wheels Tl818 of the vehicle, the arms of these knuckles being interconnected by a cross rod 19, the longitudinal movement of which controls the movement of the wheels 155 18 so as to steer the vehicle.

Upon the top side of the front axle 17 is a rearwardly inclined U-shaped bracket 20 through which extends an inclined stub shaft 21 to the lower end of which is connected an arm 22 that is provided with a longitudinal slot 22 through which a headed pin Ql associated with the steeringconnect ing rod 19 passes as in Figure 3. The upper end of the shaft 21. is connected byv a universal joint 25 to the inner end of a steering rod 26 that extends rearwardly in inclined manner and terminates adjacent the drivers seat within the body of the vehicle,

as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 2, said end of said steering rod being equipped with a suitable steering wheel as disclosed 111 said figure.

Journale'd through central bearings 6' in the connecting arms 6 between the parallel portions of the "frame bars 5 is a power shaft 27'to thecenter of which is secured a pair of spaced beveled gears 28-28 of slightly varying sizes. :Journaled through openings in the frame bars 55 between said bevel gears 2828 are fOOt..GlHnkS'29L:29 upon the inner ends of which are larger bevel gears 303O alsn- 'of' varyingsizes'as ""Connectedtothe rear end of the power shaft 27 byainiversal joints Set is a driven shaft-'35ftherear-end of \vhichis journaled withinaboxing"36 secured to and in position abosethe-centeref the rear'axle 10. \Vithin this boxing" 36 said driven shaft is provided-with a worm 37 that has mesh with a worm gear 38--keyed-to the center -of the ax le' as clearlydisclosedinFlgure 2.

Obviously a rotationof the foot cranks QQWQ-Wt ill iinp-art rotation to the power shaft 27, "and thence the driven shaft 35 causing the'rotationpf thercar axle l0 and theground-engaging traction wheels l2-l2 for 'propellingthe vehicle over'the surface of the ground.

' Inview-Of?the foregoing" description when considered in-conjunction with the accompanying drawings,it will at once he appreeiate'd by "those skilled in: the art that I have provided a highly novel, simple, and efiicient manually propelled vehicle 'thatvis well adapted for all-the purposes heretofore designated and even though 1 have herein shownand described the iniention as con sisting of certain detailstructural elements it is nevertheless to be understood that some changes may be made therein without departing fmmthc spirit'of the invention and the scope "o'f' the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as newand desire to secure by- Lt-ttersPatent is 2- In axvehicle of the character described, a pairofframebars having parallel spaced relation intermediate their ends the rear thereof are so bentas to provide a pair of widely separated arms, a stationary front axle secured between the ends of the arms,

steering wheels qpivotally mounted at the ends of the axle, a rotating rear axle mount ed between the rear ends of the bars and having traction wheels at the opposite ends thereof, a drive shaft journaled longitudinally between the bars,a drive connection between the rear ends of the shaft land the rear axle, and manually controlled means for rotating said drive shaft.

2. In a vehicle. of the character described, apair of frame bars s0 bent as'to provide: a pair of spaced parallel portions intermediate the ends thereof,'the 'forwardends of the bars being bent towidely separated positions for providing a :pair of arms at the for" ward eudsofthe iars,-the rear ends of .thebars being-bent to outwardly converging relation, and having fern-led at the extreme ends thereof boxings, a stationary: axle mounted helm en the .arms of the forward ends of the bars, steering wheels'pivotally secured to the opposite ends'o'f said- "front lo, a rotating rear axlejourna-led to-the la ing'at the rear ends of fllGflllllS and-upon the opposite ends of which are traction wheels, means interconnecting the spaced parallel portions of the bars, a horizontal drive shaft journaled throughbearings in the interconnecting means between the parallel portions 'of thewbars, a driving connection between the rear ends of'the-vshaft a'nd the rear -:.le, and manually operable means ferimpai rig rotation-to said drive shaft.

3.111 :a vehicle of theicharacter described, a pair offfranie'ba s having-parallel spaced relation intermediate their ends, the rear ends being bent to outvmrrdly' converging relation, while the .forwardends therc'ofare so'bent as to provide a pair of widely separated arms, a stationary front axlesecured between the ends of the arms, steering wheels pivotally mounted at-thcends ofithe axle, boxings formed at the ends of the convergportions ofsaid bars, a rotating rear axle n'iounted at its opposite vends within said boxing, and having traction wheels; upon the ends thereof, a drive shaft journaled longitudinally between the bars, a drive connection between the rear end .of the shaft and thcrcar axle,andmanually-control. meansfor rotating said drive shaft,

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.

THOMAS J; RILEY.

Ill) 

